In "The Printing and the Printers of the Book of Common Prayer, 1549-1561," Peter Blayney shows that roughly 20% of the sheets in this edition are from the first edition printed by Richard Grafton (¶⁴ ¶a-¶e⁶ ¶f⁸). The remaining sheets were reprinted by Edward Whitchurch and Nicholas Hill. Blayney therefore describes this, STC 16267, as the second edition of The Book of Common Prayer.

Colophon: Imprinted at London in Fletestrete, at the sign of the Sunne ouer against the conduyte, by Edvvarde VVhitchurche. The seuenth daye of Marche, the yeare of our Lorde, 1549

Signatures: [fleuron]² [superscript pi]A⁸ A⁸ B-I⁶ K⁸ L-X⁶ Y⁸ ¶⁴ ¶a-¶e⁶ ¶f⁸(-¶f8)

Title within woodcut border incorporating royal arms and printer's initials--cf. McKerrow & Ferguson. Title-page borders 68

STC (2nd ed.), 16267

ESTC, S109513

Benton, J.H. The Book of common prayer, 1

Boston Public Library (Rare Books Department) copy BENTON 1.1 FOLIO bound by Francis Bedford in brown goatskin tooled in blind and gilt. Blank leaves ([superscript pi]A8 and ¶4) wanting. Text annotated throughout in an early hand, with underlines, manicules, headings, and marginal notes. Endpaper from previous binding tipped-in at front, with an inscription in the hand of Bishop Nathaniel Crew: "N.B. This is so great a curiosity I apprehended [the] value of it to be at least ten Guineas." Tipped on to the same leaf is a letter from Kenneth F. Gibbs, dated June, 1905. Auctioneer's description laid on to the front pastedown, with the armorial bookplate of William Gott and a provenance inscription signed by Gott. Also housed with this copy is a letter to Josiah Benton from E. W. Ernst and a manuscript note regarding the history of The Book of Common Prayer. For further information regarding the provenance of this copy, see Muss-Arnoldt, William. "Maneant sua data libellus: a protest and a plea." Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, vol. 13, pt. 1, pp. 137-139.

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